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Monday, August 31, 2009

Sometimes it's just nice to take a break, pick a cloud and smoke your favorite poison. If you have one.

My work is often influenced by Japanese block prints. Their stylization and flowing lines always captured my eye and pretty soon, as I studied art history, it became one of my favorite things to peruse. Yoshitoshi's One Hundred Aspects of the Moon was probably my favorite collection.

Friday, August 28, 2009

This is Cropall. Cropall, like most little girls, doesn't like to be scared. Especially by something as ... interesting, as Blegha, the little winged terror there. I think she's taking it rather well though, all things considered.

Since both Cropall and Wizlewaud were thought up in the same day, I decided that they should be related. Cropall is Wizlewaud's kid sister.

They have an adventure they are supposed to be going on, and it might have something to do with the book Cropall is holding, but since I haven't thought up the rest of the story, Wizlewaud and Cropall are getting a vacation. For now...

Monday, August 24, 2009

Words often inspire sketches, especially for me. Writing and drawing has always been closely linked in my eyes, one feeding off the other by turns.

When I write about a character, I almost always pick a name. This time, a pair of names started a pair of sketches. I often carry small pocket books with me when I go out so I can sketch or write whenever I want to, and every one I have usually starts with a phrase or title. This time I picked a title, "The New Adventures of Wizlewaud and Cropall!" even though there were never any "old" adventures. The names were so interesting I had to assign them a story, and of course, identities.

Friday, August 14, 2009

I am addicted to sketching. I imagine quite a few artists have the same love of pencil and paper. Sketches always comprise the beginning of a new piece. They set the mood with composition and shading (not shown here, but I do use that fairly often before execution of a piece).

Many sketches never make it to a finished product, falling to the wayside like unsung heroes; they pave the way for that perfect composition you see in a finished work.

They aren't all illustration worthy, but dear companions on a bumpy road, announcing by turn failure or success.